Few musicians can say they helped shape a musical movement from its earliest days. Even fewer can say they stood alongside legends as that movement changed the world.

In this episode of The Jeremiah Show: Pop Culture, Music Icons, Food Gods, guest host Mike Gormley sits down with reggae drummer Carlton "Santa" Davis, one of the most respected rhythm makers in Jamaican music history.

Born and raised in Jamaica, Davis began playing drums at age eleven through a Catholic youth organization that kept local kids focused on music and community. What began with a makeshift drum kit assembled from marching band equipment eventually led to a career performing with some of reggae's most influential artists.

During the conversation, Davis reflects on Jamaica's close-knit music scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s, when aspiring musicians gathered on Kingston's famous Orange Street and Chancery Lane, hoping for studio calls and opportunities. Those early experiences led him to recording sessions with Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer during reggae's formative years.

Davis shares stories from his earliest recordings with The Wailers, his years working alongside Peter Tosh, and the discipline needed to survive in Jamaica's highly competitive studio environment. He also discusses reggae's global expansion, noting that today's audiences span Europe, Eastern Europe, and beyond, proving that Bob Marley's vision of reggae reaching the world continues to unfold.

Now touring internationally to promote his 2025 album “Thy Will Be Done, "Davis remains both a steward and a participant in reggae's ongoing evolution. His stories offer a rare firsthand perspective on the artists, studios, and communities that transformed a local Jamaican sound into a global cultural force.

In This Episode:

00:00 – Welcome to The Jeremiah Show
Mike Gormley guest hosts and introduces reggae drummer Carlton "Santa" Davis.

03:21 – How Carlton Became "Santa"
The childhood skateboard accident that earned Davis the nickname he's carried for decades.

06:00 – Discovering the Drums
Growing up in Jamaica, joining a Catholic youth drum corps, and finding music at age eleven.

08:08 – The Open Gate That Changed Everything
How a chance encounter at Saint Peter Claver Church launched Davis's musical journey.

10:28 – Building a Drum Kit from Scratch
A homemade setup, lessons from guitarist Bobby Aitken, and learning the rhythms of Jamaican music.

19:38 – First Professional Gig
Joining Coffee Kali and The Graduates and stepping into Jamaica's live music scene.

24:27 – Kingston's Reggae Community
Orange Street, Trench Town, Randy's Studio, and the tight-knit network that created reggae history.

29:11 – Recording with Bob Marley & The Wailers
Santa recalls his earliest sessions with Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer before international fame.

36:04 – Inside the Rise of Reggae
The studio culture of Jamaica, working with The Wailers, and helping shape a global sound.

48:11 – Peter Tosh, Survival, and Reggae's Global Future
Davis reflects on the tragic night Peter Tosh was killed, surviving the attack, and why reggae continues to grow worldwide

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Photographer’s Credits

Black & White Alan A. Abramek

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